Connecticut State University System

Lieberman: Campuses usually safe, more counseling services needed

Associated Press

April 27, 2007

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. -- With this month's Virginia Tech massacre fresh in his mind, U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman told students Friday that he hopes on-campus counseling services can be bolstered at the nation's colleges and universities.

Lieberman, I-Conn., toured the campus police department at Central Connecticut State University on Friday and discussed security concerns with student government officers, resident assistants and other student leaders.

"My message to students and parents is to feel safe generally on your college campuses because you are, generally, according to every statistic I've seen," Lieberman said.

Lieberman's visit came four days after a congressional hearing on campus security by the congressional Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, which he chairs.

He told students Friday that his committee learned colleges are generally safe, but that many students are struggling with stress and need help coping to avoid becoming a danger to themselves or others.

Campuses, like other open communities, also could face the risk of being so-called "soft" targets for terrorists trying to frighten Americans by causing high-profile havoc, Lieberman said.

"This really is an aspect of homeland security," he said of campus safety. "Every campus ought to have a level of defense to that kind of problem and a crisis management system (ready) to go into effect."

Lieberman cited a U.S. Secret Service study of violent incidents on secondary school campuses and its conclusion that in two-thirds of those cases, more than one person knew of the potential threat before it occurred.

"That speaks very loudly to us to speak up about what we know and talk to people in authority," Lieberman said.

Peter J. Berry, head of the West Hartford-based International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, said Friday that his group has asked the Secret Service to team with the FBI for a similar study on campus violence and possible prevention methods.

This week's congressional hearing came in the wake of the April 16 massacre at Virginia Tech, where 32 students and faculty members died in the deadliest shooting spree in U.S. history. The gunman, troubled 23-year-old student Seung-Hui Cho, killed himself.

Cho exhibited signs of mental illness and was briefly sent to a psychiatric hospital, but he did not stay.

Lieberman said that also highlights another potential problem: While lists of criminal convictions are available when a person tries to buy a handgun, no similar lists are available to document people whose mental problems could disqualify them.

He said he would like to see that rectified, and also hopes legislation can be drafted to ease liability concerns among college administrators who feel compelled to expel students who could harm others.

CCSU student Ted Ancher, 22, a senior communications major from Upton, Mass., said the Virginia Tech shootings resonated because he, like one of the first students killed, is a resident assistant.

Ancher said that while resident assistants are trained to help people find counseling services, he hopes all students will be more aware of classmates who may be having problems.

"I just don't want people to be paranoid about it, but I want people to keep it in the back of their minds that it could happen," he said.

Officials say the Virginia Tech shootings highlighted not only the potential safety threats posed by troubled individuals, but also from disasters such as hurricanes, dormitory fires and other emergencies.

Other local universities have said they are updating their campus emergency plans, refining the ways they notify students of safety threats and tightening security in campus buildings and public gathering spots.